it's already dusk as I reach Mostoles. I do finally find some cool modern art sculptures and sculptured gardens, but it's too dark to get any decent pictures... and one of the most disturbing graffitti paintings I've seen in a while of a guy pointing a gun with the ...

... the Parque del Bueno Retiro, a huge park behind the Prado - enormous really, and SO beautifully laid out with huge trees now turning into autumn colours, lakes, fountains, monuments and statues. Again, the whole of Madrid seemed to be out and about enjoying the wonderful warm afternoon in the park. Many children and families, and many buskers, clowns and entertainers. There was a queue to hire rowboats on the "lake" ...

Today I took a lazy day. I was so exhausted from going out so much, and from exploring I decided to clean up some more, and just take a day to relax. I decided to organize my bag for school, get everything into place, figure out what I needed to tomorrow, and make my room look a little nicer. After that, I took a little nap. I think I was so quiet my host mom forgot I was here... oops. I wrote a little, wrote some in my journal, ...

... with. They both have pros and cons I guess, but I definitely wouldn't change anything (except the cold) about today- it was absolutely amazing ! Already planning to do it again on Tuesday in my head - if Nat lets me of course.

A few hours later we went to the Temple of Debod, with Afra. When we picked her up I noticed she lived in the same building as Yousef, then my question was answered as to whether they knew each other when he rang her. As we got talking I ...